Ontario: For Family Day, go fish

Nothing says family like huddling around an icy hole in a hut on the middle of a frozen lake.

From Saturday to Monday, Ontarians can fish license-free and this time of year, that means ice fishing. All you need is to rent a hut and get your own equipment if the operator doesn’t supply any.

There are several fishing spots within a couple of hours of Toronto for any city-dwellers looking to go fishin’.

Scugog Lake

Drive from Toronto: Hour and 30 minutes

What you’ll catch: Pickerel, perch, muskie, crappie

Bonus: Tell all your friends you caught crappie fish

Advice for newbies from a local: “Patience. You got to sit there. if you get to anxious you’re not going to catch nothing.” — Paul Pigeau, Paul’s Ice Huts, Port Perry

Rice Lake

Drive from Toronto: Hour and 40 minutes

What you’ll catch: Perch

Advice for newbies from a local: “Best thing to do is just go to where you see the most people cause obviously the locals are going to know where the fish are.” — Jamie Vanesteijn, B J Tackle, Bewdley

Lake Simcoe

Drive from Toronto: Hour and 40 minutes (to Beaverton)

What you’ll catch: Perch, trout, whitefish

Advice for newbies from a local: “Dress for winter…. Most of the huts are warm. As long as they get clothes to get them from shore out in case it’s cold.” — Tim Hales, Time Hales Fish Huts, Beaverton (He also reminded to pack a lunch.)

Those looking to get out on a chilly lake should book soon. Mr. Vanesteijn said bookings are up from last year for Family Day weekend and the nicer weather is part of that. But don’t think a few days of warmer temperatures are going to change anything on the lakes.